The Purgatory Calamity
Chapter 498 - 474: Awakening from the Dream, the Demon Appears._1

Chapter 498: Chapter 474: Awakening from the Dream, the Demon Appears._1

Above the fragmented Dantian of Pang Jian.

The indented Flame Pool below transformed into a vast sea of fire, where strands of crimson ethereal electricity intertwined.

Below the radiant fragment land of the Flame Pool, slender crystal lines like veins formed, holding no mysteries and without any remarkable laws or secrets inscribed.

At this moment.

Belonging to an eighth-level Flame Dragon, the Bloodline Crystal Chain took the form of crimson ethereal electricity, which he pulled from the Dragon Heart with the "Original Demon Fusion Spell" and miraculously integrated into the crystal line below.

Also, at this moment, the bloodline secret skill from Long Yan, his innate divine skill, seemed to be branded within Pang Jian’s burning Flame Pool.

"The true essence of flames comprehended by Long Yan!"

Pang Jian’s mind stirred, trying to grasp simultaneously with divided attention.

A look of joy promptly appeared on his brow.

The bloodline secret skills of an eighth-level Flame Dragon, resembling various advanced fire Spirit Spells, became clear to him as he contemplated within his fragmented Dantian, seemingly easy to fully understand.

This was many times smoother than when he contemplated "Heart of Winter"’s extreme cold profundity, or the thunder pattern in the Thunder Pond.

"The Ice Demon and the Great Tao Truth of the Thunder God are far beyond my strength and comprehension level; hence, the difficulty. With my cultivation at the Extinction Realm, understanding the eighth-level Flame Dragon’s bloodline talent is naturally straightforward and clear," Pang Jian was silently exhilarated.

Calming his mind, he focused on the true essence and secrets of the "Original Demon Fusion Spell," feeling as if he had turned into a melting pool capable of burning and dissolving everything.

The mysteries within the Flame Dragon’s Dragon Heart, droplets of dragon essence blood were all being melted by him.

"Source Demon, why am I able to use this demon secret skill so smoothly?"

Pang Jian asked in surprise, speaking with his mind.

"Your Chaos Sea is different from that of ordinary people. Your Flame Pool formed in the Dantian can adapt to the Original Demon Fusion Spell."

"I am now complete, and you no longer need to keep clutching the sword hilt all the time; we can communicate normally from now on."

"Besides, I have acquired autonomous capability."

The Origin Demon Sword flew out of his palm.

This black-gold Longsword, for the first time without being maneuvered by anyone, flew out whistling on its own.

The sword, as if it had become a special demon body for the Source Demon.

"Hiss!"

The sword’s tip pierced into a dragon horn of Long Yan, and all the profound mysteries within the dragon horn were instantly melted by the Origin Demon Sword.

The extracted Origin Demon Sword then stabbed towards the next dragon horn, and that horn was also quickly melted away.

Then came the Dragon Claws, followed by red crystal-like Dragon Scales, then the blood and flesh of Long Yan.

Apart from the Dragon Heart, the rest of the eighth-level Flame Dragon’s body was completely devoured by the Origin Demon Sword, leaving not even a single dragon bone.

Outside the city, the Kirin Bell hovered in the air.

Li Jie stood on top of the bell, his face frozen as he watched the black-gold Longsword swallow a hundred zhang long Flame Dragon whole as if a snake devoured an elephant.

Only at the Dragon Heart, where Pang Jian was engulfed in roaring flames, he continued to draw the secrets from the Dragon Heart.

"Wu Yuan, I heard that this sword was forged by Mo Nan of the Demon Sword Sect. Could you tell me what is going on?"

Li Jie turned his head, looked at Wu Yuan, who also flew into the air, and demanded, "Do you not feel that hidden within that black-gold Longsword resides a true Demon God?"

Wu Yuan remained silent.

Hesitating for a moment, he summoned the Purple Demon Eye, clutching it tightly in both hands.

Within the Purple Demon Eye, an image of the Great Demon God Hemo Tian, with four heads, four faces, four arms, riding a peacock, faced the Origin Demon Sword.

In Hemo Tian’s hands were a Token, Prayer Beads, a water pot, and a lotus, adopting a stance of full defense.

This Hemo Tian had recently been under the constant surveillance of the Outer World True Body, and Wu Yuan was struggling to suppress this divine image.

But now, this Hemo Tian became unusually calm, exerting no corrupting force upon him.

Within the sword’s small world.

The flesh, bones, and sinews of the eighth-level Flame Dragon merged into the secret realm engulfed by violent flames, everywhere boiling with fiery juices.

The illusory secret realm, due to the dragon’s flesh and viscera, its bones and veins, began to show signs of solidifying into reality.

The still blurred image of the Source Demon, atop the world of that secret realm, stared through space at the Purple Demon Eye in Wu Yuan’s hands, observing the divine image of the Great Demon God Hemo Tian within.

"Merely an image of a god," said the Source Demon, previously coveting this, now with disdain, "What I want is the true Demon Soul of Hemo Tian, not a remnant with less than one percent of His strength."

"Whoosh!"

The black-gold Demon Sword flew from the shattered city, heading straight for the location of the Demon Stone.

Wu Yuan, holding the Purple Demon Eye and sweating coldly due to the shock from the Demon Sword, suddenly flew to where Pang Jian was and shouted, "Pang Jian, your sword is out of control."

Pang Jian didn’t even open his eyes and said, "It’s not out of control."

The vast Dragon Heart continued to shrink within the flames as the most essential part of the eighth-level Flame Dragon was still being absorbed by the "Original Demon Fusion Spell," gradually disappearing.

The connection between him and the Source Demon remained uninterrupted.

Everything the Source Demon did, and the changes in that fiery secret realm within the sword, he saw clearly.

At this moment, the will of the Source Demon was still transmitting thoughts from within the sword, continuing to recount its tragic experiences to Pang Jian.

"Originally, I was a prince of the Ghost Demon Clan, belonging to the Demon Realm. We worshipped the All Heavenly Demons and aspired to rise to the ranks of the Demon Gods."

"Like Dazzling Shadow of the Devil Scale Tribe, I was once the most outstanding genius of my people. I fought battles afar for those Demon Gods, conquering swathes of the Star River for Them."

"They once appreciated me immensely, granted me powerful Demon Instruments, and even allowed me to ascend to the status of Demon God."

"I was among the Demon Gods."

"But there are many Demon Gods, and only five Great Demon Gods. I clearly had the strength and power to advance further. They had clearly promised me, allowing me to strive for a seat among the Great Demon Gods."

"However, just as I was attempting to become a Great Demon God, the God Spirits worshiped by the numerous Wisdom Races within the Star Rivers I had subdued suddenly appeared."

"My path to becoming a Great Demon God was thus severed, and I had to split my Demon Soul to escape, not knowing where I ended up."

"This fragment of my Demon Soul, when it once again manifested its will and appeared in its complete form, was just now."

"Even during the era of Mo Nan, I was incomplete, broken, and muddled."

"I do not know why my Demon Soul would inexplicably arrive in Purgatory following that Demon Stone! But within the Demon Stone, there must be an answer, and I must find that answer!"

"..."

The will of the Source Demon continuously narrated its story.

After splitting its Demon Soul, there was still an intermediary period up to its sudden complete manifestation that it could not remember.

But it now remembered its identity, and it remembered fighting across various Star Rivers for those Demon Gods, just like Dazzling Shadow had done.

It was once one of Them.

...

In the heartland of the Continent, at the headquarters of the Demon Sect.

Xiang Shengwei slowly awoke from an ancient, prolonged, and bizarre dreamscape. He stared vacantly at the mural carved on the cavern wall.

Those murals were extremely old, mostly unrelated to the civilization of Purgatory, depicting the grand exploits of the Outer World Demon Clan’s conquest of the Star Rivers.

There were also images of towering figures of the Demon Clan, ascending to become Demon Gods and being worshipped by legions of their kin.

These murals felt familiar to Xiang Shengwei, he felt as if he had personally participated in the episodes depicted on them.

"Shengwei brother, I’ve advised you before that it’s best not to cultivate the Demon Stone Spell. You’re not the chosen one, and forcibly cultivating the Demon Stone Spell poses too high a risk of demonic possession."

Cheng Hao, an Elder, who recently advanced to the peak of the Immortal Realm, had always been a confidant of Xiang Shengwei, and the two had grown up together like brothers.

In private, he addressed Xiang Shengwei as "Shengwei" brother and treated him as a dear brother in his heart.

Xiang Shengwei smiled faintly, his purple eyes suddenly revealing an eerie light, and said, "I am the Sect Master, how could I not cultivate it?"

"According to the rules, it is the Demon Stone that chooses the person, not us choosing the Demon Stone Spell. Since ancient times, we have followed this rule, which cannot be broken or changed," Cheng Hao earnestly reminded.

Lately, Xiang Shengwei often seemed distracted, as if his thoughts were elsewhere.

His concern for his "Shengwei" brother, facing the great calamity of the Human Race and overwhelmed by anxiety, might crumble under the pressure from the Fifth Realm.

He also worried that his "Shengwei" brother, secretly pushing himself to cultivate the Demon Stone Spell, could be detected by other Elders within the Sect.

"It does not matter."

Xiang Shengwei chuckled and elegantly smiled.

He went to stand before a mural portraying the exceptional image of the Great Demon God Hemo Tian, sitting on a massive stone platform and being worshipped by numerous demons from the Demon Realm.

Many tiny points of light, like rain, flew out from the bodies of the worshippers and surged into the body of Hemo Tian.

Suddenly, Xiang Shengwei said, "The Purple Demon Eye was entrusted to Wu Yuan, the youngster. And this powerful Demon Instrument, it was originally just a shard of the Demon Stone. The Purple Demon Eye and the Demon Stone have always had a connection."

A scene flashed through his mind.

It was the moment when Dazzling Shadow of the Devil Scale Tribe killed many disciples of the Demon Heart Sect and leaped into the Demon Abyss.

He paused, his eyes narrowing in thought.

Deep within his dark purple Demonic Eyes, a massive purple Demon Stone appeared, standing quietly at the center of the Demon Abyss.

He saw a black-gold Longsword heading straight for that massive purple Demon Stone; he also saw Wu Yuan holding the Purple Demon Eye and Dazzling Shadow clutching a Demon Knife.

"A dream of a yellow sorghum ultimately awakens, all that is rootless and boundless returns to dust."

His purple eyes subtly changed, turning into the blackish green of the Demon Abyss’s sky.

Turning around, he faced Elder Cheng Hao, and with a smile, inquired, "Cheng Hao, if I were an Outer World Demon God, would you still follow me?"

Cheng Hao’s smile stiffened, "Shengwei brother, you must be joking."

"I am not joking," Xiang Shengwei said with a chuckle.

Cheng Hao paused, then turned to flee out of the cavern, only to slam into the stone door that had suddenly closed.

His figure, like a fly in amber, was eternally frozen within the stone door.

"Dazzling Shadow."

Xiang Shengwei called out.

His voice traveled from the headquarters of the Demon Sect, from this dark pit, reaching the Demon Knife that could communicate with the Outer World Demon God, "Hurry to that Demon Stone."

...